REZONING

EEMS to OMS

Redistricting Parent Night
Q & A

February 3, 2026

 

Redistricting Plan for East Edisto Middle School (PowerPoint)

 

Is there a way to mitigate the long car rider line for EEMS?

Currently, there is not an immediate solution to significantly reduce the car rider line. School leadership will continue to monitor arrival and dismissal procedures and explore possible adjustments as opportunities arise.

 

What is the breakdown of kids by grade?

• 65 rising 6th grade students
• 39 rising 7th grade students
• 52 rising 8th grade students

 

How many 5th graders are being moved? (rising 6th) of those, how many siblings that are 7th and 8th graders that are allowed to stay at EEMS? If there are only 7 students who have siblings that are allowed to stay with transportation, will they be grandfathered in as well?

• Sixty-five current fifth grade students are impacted by the proposed redistricting of OMS from EEMS. Of those students, seven have siblings currently enrolled in 7th or 8th grade at East Edisto Middle School.
• At this time, rising 6th grade students are not automatically grandfathered to remain at EEMS. However, parents of students in this situation may request that their rising 6th grader continue attending EEMS by completing a Special Situation Transfer Request for the 2026–2027 school year. Each request will be reviewed individually in accordance with district guidelines.

 

Are there other schools being rezoned?

Yes. For the 2026–2027 school year, Spann Elementary School will be repurposed as an educational center. Students currently zoned for Spann Elementary will be rezoned to Eugene Sires Elementary School and Summerville Elementary School. Additionally, some students currently zoned for Eugene Sires Elementary School will be rezoned to Oakbrook Elementary School.

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What happens if their siblings decide to stay at EEMS?

If a rising 7th or 8th grade student opts to stay at EEMS, the rising 6th grade student would still attend OMS unless the Special Situation Transfer Request is completed by a parent and the request is approved following the current process.

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The forms to keep a rising 7th and 8th grader at EEMS will be online.

• An electronic form will be sent through an email to all rising 7th and 8th grade students' parents at EEMS for parents to make their choice, to stay at EEMS or go to OMS.
• If a rising 7th or 8th grade student chooses to remain at East Edisto Middle School, the rising 6th grade student would still attend Oakbrook Middle School unless a parent submits a Special Situation Transfer Request and the request is approved through the district’s established process.

 

Who makes the decision about RMSA becoming a regular school? How can we advocate for this?

• Rollings Middle School of the Arts (RMSA) opened in 1997 and has served students in grades 6–8 for nearly three decades with a specialized focus on the arts in Dorchester School District Two.
• In 2012, district voters approved a referendum to fund the construction of a middle school dedicated to the arts. As a result, RMSA operates as a magnet school with a defined arts-based mission. Any decision to change RMSA’s status from a magnet school to a traditional middle school would require review and action by Dorchester School District Two leadership and the Board of Trustees and could involve community input depending on the scope of the change.
• Families who wish to advocate may do so by:
  • Attending and providing public comment at DD2 Board of Trustees meetings
  • Communicating directly with Board members and district administration
  • Participating in community forums or advisory committees when available

 

Will you consider an individual student situation to be able to possibly stay at EEMS?

If a parent would like to request a student stay at EEMS, they should follow the Special Situation Transfer Request process. As a reminder, if the request is approved, parents are responsible for providing transportation and must reapply each year.

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Buses already run late and they are only going two miles. How long will the bus riders be when you are going 6 miles?

Bus times can fluctuate for a variety of reasons outside of our control, including driver shortages, lack of substitute drivers, traffic, and other factors. Based on the district’s routing software, we anticipate that bus rides for the longer route could take approximately 15–20 minutes.

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Why can’t the kids that we rezoned to GMS be rezoned back?

• Oakbrook Middle School (OMS) recently added seven additional classrooms funded through TIF dollars, giving the school the capacity to serve the additional students.
• If you would like your child to return to GMS, you may submit a Special Situation Transfer Request. If the request is approved, parents would be responsible for providing transportation.

 

How do you guarantee that in three years we will not be rezoned out of ARHS?

• While we cannot guarantee future rezoning, the district has taken steps to help maintain stable enrollment at Ashley Ridge High School:
• ARHS was rezoned in the 2023–2024 school year.
• Ten additional classrooms are being added for the 2026–2027 school year.
• Current enrollment at ARHS is stable and below projections, in part due to these actions.
• These measures help reduce the likelihood of future rezoning, but any changes would be based on district needs and enrollment trends at that time.

 

Why were we not made aware of this earlier?

We understand that learning about rezoning on a short timeline can be stressful for families. Enrollment at East Edisto Middle School continued to exceed projections, and the district needed to take action to stabilize numbers. With the 2026–2027 school year just nine months away, the decision was made to move forward with the rezoning plan to ensure all students have a safe and effective learning environment.

 

If we redistrict, will they reopen RMSA auditions?

Unfortunately, we cannot. RMSA applications were due several months ago, and auditions have already been completed for the 2026–2027 school year. At this time, no additional applications can be accepted for 2026-2027.

 

Extra programs like VEX differ from EEMS to OMS. Having siblings in EEMS vex then deny her 5th grade sister who has been involved. What can be done on that?

Equity and access are important priorities for Dorchester 2 when it comes to student programming and extracurricular opportunities. Our expectation is that students will be afforded the same opportunity to participate in programs like VEX.

 

Traffic and safety concerns vastly differ between the two schools! How are those going to be addressed?

The district regularly reviews transportation procedures to ensure student safety and operational efficiency. Traffic flow, supervision, and routing are evaluated in coordination with school administrators and transportation staff, and adjustments are made as needed to support safe arrival and dismissal at all school sites.

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Currently, we have students in the SPED program at BHES, and how will this affect us in the future?

Students who receive special education services are supported based on their individual needs and the specific programming required in their IEP. As students transition to middle school, the program your child participates in will help determine which school they attend, since not every middle school offers the same specialized services or instructional models. For questions about how this may affect your child in the future or to discuss options in more detail, please reach out to Ms. Michelle Jacques, Executive Director of Special Education, who can provide guidance specific to your situation.

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What is the county and district doing with impact fee and additional taxation for new developments to fund growth?

The county and school district are working together to ensure that student growth is managed responsibly and funded through appropriate channels. An Impact Fee Study was completed in October 2024 to analyze the costs associated with new residential development and its effect on public services, including schools. Since then, multiple meetings have been held with county officials and other government entities to review the findings and discuss the proposed impact fees for both single-family and multi-family housing. While the study provides the foundation for these fees, any impact fee must ultimately be approved by the county before the district would be authorized to collect and use those funds to support growth-related needs.

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What are the land use development options to add capacity at RMSA and open capacity to the nearest neighborhood to allow legacy neighborhoods to remain with the school of choice in our case EEMS.

We understand that families value neighborhood schools. While it is technically possible to add capacity at RMSA, the school was specifically designed as a middle school of the arts. Students are selected based on audition. RMSA is not a traditional neighborhood school or a school of choice. Because of this selection process, additional capacity cannot be reserved for neighborhoods.

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Shutdown the bus option to/from the newer neighborhoods save the bus routes for cash to claim new school facility funds. Claim impact fund and new tax and immanent domain for all the new developers and their profitability.

The district is required by South Carolina law to provide transportation for students who live a certain distance from their assigned school. Bus routes are planned to meet these obligations while balancing student safety, efficiency, and available resources. The county and school district are actively working together to ensure that growth is responsibly managed and funded through appropriate channels. Decisions about transportation, school capacity, and facility funding are made in accordance with district policies, state regulations, and approved budgets.